Self-Portrait/Pencil

I have been working on this pencil self-portrait on and off for a few weeks, just a few minutes at a time. I started from a photo to get the angle and shape of the face, but then I bought a mirror to put up on my easel.  I think it looks like me but I certainly need more practice at this. When I started taking art classes 10 years ago, I never imagined I would be drawing at this level, so I am pleased but still see room for improvement. My next class starts in a few weeks, botanical illustration. I'm looking forward to it. For those of you who think I should have done a smiley face, I preferred my half smile expression. It's a better reflection of my inner self. Of course, one of the problems with drawing in pencil (grayscale) is that I couldn't figure out how to portray my white hair.  Maybe someday I'll do a color portrait.

We are having a beautiful day today, so now I'm going out to play in the dirt and do some more yard cleanup.  I can actually plant my onion sets today. I have some coming up from last year, so I know it's safe to put them in.  It's too early here to plant anything else.

Spring is coming . . .

Spring is slowly getting here. We did not have much snow this winter (it all went south to my family & friends in NJ). It was strange to see bare ground in March.  Our house faces west and we see beautiful sunsets. The first picture is of the house across the street.

My tiny little windflowers came up already. We cleared the ground in my vegetable garden, put up the fence (to keep out the neighborhood cats) and I saw some scallions coming up. I bought more onion sets to plant in April.  Last weekend was a delightful preview, but it's cold again today. I'm looking forward to Passover next week and to the month of April. Happy holidays to all.

Cards, Prints & Art by Linda

Setting up a new web page (an actual internet store) has been quite a challenge. Joe & I tested it out and it works! Please let me know if you find any glitches. I am new at this and would like to correct problems quickly. Readers, thanks for your comments. I have not had any time to write or create new art in the past few weeks, so I hope to get back to that soon. Meanwhile, spring is coming and we have lots of yard cleanup to do from the big windstorm. Happy spring.

If you click on the title above, it will take you to the store. The actual web address: http://www.lindafeinberg.com/

windstorm

breathe

move through the cold,

the dark, power out

wind howling outside

grab flashlight

silence the chirping alarms

breathe

snuggled under the quilts

warm with my hot flashes

wearing long johns,

socks and sweatshirt

cold nose tonight

breathe

God exhaled

and breathed Adam to life

“Ruach Elohim”

light had already been created

when Adam drew his first breath

not cold or dark then

breathe

can’t sleep

the windstorm outside

and the mindstorm inside

flow together

breath by breath

inhale, exhale

mind jumping

from thought to thought

image to image

no peace

no answers

no freedom

no messiah

some search

to connect

to belong

to know why we are here

is this all there is?

religions have answers

but no one size fits all

each one claims to be true

if you accept one

you reject another

can we live with questions

that have no answers?

do we live with answers

that have no questions?

breathe

© 2010 Linda H. Feinberg

Windstorm last week

Just some photos of the damage from the windstorm last week. I have a few more to post later. I'm off to a web seminar in a few minutes. Thankfully our house was spared, but we have lots of branches to clean up in our yard. We were without power for 2 days.

Reflections

Photo by Dina Freedman - Salt Lake City. My daughter is a meteorologist and likes to take photos of clouds. I thought this one was beautiful.

I have had no time to post while catching up on my work. Today is finally a little calmer. The windstorm we had last week left us without power for two days. I didn't mind the cold, but missed the light. Dina is sending us headlamps for the next time. Reading by candlelight is not fun.

I also thought about the windstorm outside, lots of damaged trees, and the windstorm inside my mind. I think there is a poem in there somewhere. It just needs to percolate a bit more.

hollyhocks

Colored pencil drawing on green suede matboard. This type of matboard is difficult to work on, but interesting. It doesn't accept much in the way of layering the colored pencils so you get a fuzzier image. A good experiment. I will probably make bookmarks from this drawing.

heartbeat

“the drums are the heartbeat of mother earth”
Native American saying

the drums are quiet now
winter overcast and icy streets
mother earth is resting
waiting for spring and renewal
with only the chatter of squirrels
and birds to keep her company

I look through my flower photos
and pick one of hollyhocks
to start a new drawing
pink flowers to go on a
green background

my easel has some sketches on it
but I haven’t started a new painting
too busy with work
wondering if this is my true path
then someone comes in
needing a good listener
and I know wherever I am,
that is where I need to be

the drums will be back soon
and my heartbeat will be in tune
mother earth will be heard again
the garden cleaned and planted
wherever I am,
I will hear those drums

copyright 2010 Linda H. Feinberg

Fisher

No time for real art, but I still take a few minutes to sketch. This was done with charcoal on newsprint. From a photo in the current issue of the NH Wildlife Journal. A difficult pose to sketch. Fishers are part of the weasel family (a/k/a fisher cats, but they are not cats). That issue had some other good photos for me to practice my sketching.

Cars and winter in NH

I haven't had time for art or poetry this month, but I found the time to buy a new car. Of course we've had so much snow that I am nervous about driving it now!  Today is fine, the sun is out and the snow is melting. It's beautiful and I love it, but I also understand the danger.